Image: Public domain | via Wikimedia Commons
Lee Su-jin, born in February 1978, is a South Korean businessman and the founder and chairman of Yanolja, a leading global travel technology company. Starting as a janitor at a love hotel, he overcame adversity to build a company with record revenues. In December 2024, Forbes estimated his net worth at $1.5 billion, placing him among the wealthiest individuals in South Korea. His career reflects his relentless pursuit of innovation and growth in the hospitality and technology sectors.
Lee Su-jin was born in Chungju, South Korea, in February 1978. He became an orphan at a young age and was raised by his grandparents. He faced challenges in his early education, struggling with reading and writing until later in elementary school.
Lee's journey to success began in the hospitality industry. Unable to afford a regular university education, he attended Cheonan National Technical College. After working in a small business, he lost money in the stock market. He then took a job at a love hotel. Working as a janitor, Lee worked his way up to a management position. In 2004, he created a website called "Motel Story" to share his thoughts about the hospitality industry. The site gained popularity and led him to acquire "Motel Tour." This website was the foundation for what would become Yanolja.
Lee Su-jin founded Yanolja in either 2005 or 2007. The company initially focused on hotel and travel bookings, expanding its services to include cloud-based solutions for hotel management. Lee pursued an aggressive strategy of mergers and acquisitions, acquiring multiple companies. In 2021, SoftBank Vision Fund invested $1.7 billion in Yanolja. By 2024, Yanolja had become a leading travel and leisure company in South Korea, driven by Lee's vision of integrating technology and customer-centric services.
Specific philanthropy amounts were not found in the search results.
Began working in the hospitality industry, working his way up from janitor to management.
Created a website to share thoughts on the hospitality industry, which later helped with the development of Yanolja.
Founded Yanolja, which became a leading travel and leisure company.
Received a $1.7 billion investment from SoftBank Vision Fund.
Forbes estimated his net worth at $1.5 billion and ranked him 22nd richest in South Korea.
"Yanolja means "Hey, let's play" in Korean."
